U.S. Department of Education
2003-2004 No Child Left Behind—Blue Ribbon Schools Program
Cover Sheet
Name of Principal Mr. Richard D. Zarkowski
(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other) (As it should appear in the official records)
Official School Name David S. D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School
(As it should appear in the official records)
School Mailing Address10359 West Nassau Avenue______
(If address is P.O. Box, also include street address)
Denver Colorado__80235-1400______
City State Zip Code+4 (9 digits total)
Tel. (303 )982-2600Fax (303 )982-2601
Website/URL E-mail
I have reviewed the information in this application, including the eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my knowledge all information is accurate.
Date February 10, 2004
(Principal’s Signature)
Name of Superintendent* Dr. Cindy Stevenson
(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)
District NameJefferson County Public SchoolsTel. ( 303 ) 982-6500
I have reviewed the information in this application, including the eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my knowledge it is accurate.
Date February 10, 2004(Superintendent’s Signature)
Name of School Board
President/Chairperson Mr. Jon DeStefano
(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)
I have reviewed the information in this package, including the eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my knowledge it is accurate.
Date February 10, 2004
(School Board President’s/Chairperson’s Signature)
*Private Schools: If the information requested is not applicable, write N/A in the space.
PART I ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION
[Include this page in the school’s application as page 2.]
The signatures on the first page of this application certify that each of the statements below concerning the school's eligibility and compliance with U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights (OCR) requirements is true and correct.
- The school has some configuration that includes grades K-12. (Schools with one principal, even K-12 schools, must apply as an entire school.)
- The school has not been in school improvement status or been identified by the state as "persistently dangerous" within the last two years. To meet final eligibility, the school must meet the state’s adequate yearly progress requirement in the 2003-2004 school year.
- If the school includes grades 7 or higher, it has foreign language as a part of its core curriculum.
- The school has been in existence for five full years, that is, from at least September 1998.
- The nominated school or district is not refusing the OCR access to information necessary to investigate a civil rights complaint or to conduct a districtwide compliance review.
- The OCR has not issued a violation letter of findings to the school district concluding that the nominated school or the district as a whole has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes. A violation letter of findings will not be considered outstanding if the OCR has accepted a corrective action plan from the district to remedy the violation.
- The U.S. Department of Justice does not have a pending suit alleging that the nominated school, or the school district as a whole, has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes or the Constitution's equal protection clause.
- There are no findings of violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in a U.S. Department of Education monitoring report that apply to the school or school district in question; or if there are such findings, the state or district has corrected, or agreed to correct, the findings.
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PART II DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
All data are the most recent year available.
DISTRICT (Questions 12 not applicable to private schools)
1.Number of schools in the district: 94 Elementary schools
19 Middle schools
0 Junior high schools
19 High schools
0 Other (Briefly explain)
132 TOTAL
2.District Per Pupil Expenditure: $6,598
Average State Per Pupil Expenditure: $5,795
SCHOOL (To be completed by all schools)
3.Category that best describes the area where the school is located:
[ ]Urban or large central city
[ ]Suburban school with characteristics typical of an urban area
[X ]Suburban
[ ]Small city or town in a rural area
[ ]Rural
4. 3 Number of years the principal has been in her/his position at this school.
0 If fewer than three years, how long was the previous principal at this school?
5.Number of students enrolled at each grade level or its equivalent in applying school:
Grade / # of Males / # of Females / Grade Total / Grade / # of Males / # of Females / Grade TotalK / 7 / 108 / 91 / 199
1 / 8 / 86 / 97 / 183
2 / 9 / 109 / 96 / 205
3 / 10 / 57 / 86 / 143
4 / 11 / 44 / 86 / 130
5 / 12 / 61 / 55 / 116
6 / Other
TOTAL STUDENTS IN THE APPLYING SCHOOL / 976
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6.Racial/ethnic composition of 88.5% White
the students in the school: 1.5% Black or African American
4.4% Hispanic or Latino
5.2% Asian/Pacific Islander
0.3% American Indian/Alaskan Native
100% Total
7.Student turnover, or mobility rate, during the past year: 4.53 %
(This rate includes the total number of students who transferred to or from different schools between October 1 and the end of the school year, divided by the total number of students in the school as of October 1, multiplied by 100.)
(1) / Number of students who transferred to the school after October 1 until the end of the year. / 0(2) / Number of students who transferred from the school after October 1 until the end of the year. / 45
(3) / Subtotal of all transferred students [sum of rows (1) and (2)] / 45
(4) / Total number of students in the school as of October 1 / 992
(5) / Subtotal in row (3) divided by total in row (4) / .0453
(6) / Amount in row (5) multiplied by 100 / 4.53
8.Limited English Proficient students in the school: 0 %
0 Total Number Limited English Proficient
Number of languages represented: 0
Specify languages:
9.Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals: 1 %
9 Total Number Students Who Qualify
If this method does not produce a reasonably accurate estimate of the percentage of students from lowincome families or the school does not participate in the federallysupported lunch program, specify a more accurate estimate, tell why the school chose it, and explain how it arrived at this estimate.
10.Students receiving special education services: 0.5 %
5Total Number of Students Served
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Indicate below the number of students with disabilities according to conditions designated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
AutismOrthopedic Impairment
1 DeafnessOther Health Impaired
Deaf-Blindness 3 Specific Learning Disability
1 Hearing ImpairmentSpeech or Language Impairment
Mental RetardationTraumatic Brain Injury
Multiple DisabilitiesVisual Impairment Including Blindness
- Indicate number of fulltime and parttime staff members in each of the categories below:
Number of Staff
Full-timePart-Time
Administrator(s) 4 0
Classroom teachers 44 1
Special resource teachers/specialists 0 2
Paraprofessionals 2 0
Support staff 22 1
Total number 76 4
12.Average school student-“classroom teacher” ratio:21.7:1
13.Show the attendance patterns of teachers and students as a percentage. The student dropout rate is defined by the state. The student drop-off rate is the difference between the number of entering students and the number of exiting students from the same cohort. (From the same cohort, subtract the number of exiting students from the number of entering students; divide that number by the number of entering students; multiply by 100 to get the percentage drop-off rate.) Briefly explain in 100 words or fewer any major discrepancy between the dropout rate and the drop-off rate. (Only middle and high schools need to supply dropout rates and only high schools need to supply drop-off rates.)
2002-2003 / 2001-2002 / 2000-2001 / 1999-2000 / 1998-1999Daily student attendance / 96.6% / 96.5% / 96.5% / 95.8% / 94.8%
Daily teacher attendance / 98.4% / 98.9% / 99.0% / 98.8% / 99.0%
Teacher turnover rate / 13.3% / 6.6% / 8.8% / 2.2% / 6.6%
Student dropout rate / 1.0% / 0% / 0% / 0% / 0%
Student drop-off rate / 9.9% / 12.4% / 11.7% / 15.4% / 14.8%
*Students (other than drop-outs) who choose to leave D’Evelyn have either moved away from the Jefferson County School District, or they have enrolled in other Jefferson County Schools.
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14.(High Schools Only) Show what the students who graduated in Spring 2003 are doing as of September 2003.
Graduating class size / 111Enrolled in a 4-year college or university / 88%
Enrolled in a community college / 9%
Enrolled in vocational training / 0%
Found employment / 3%
Military service / 0%
Other (travel, staying home, etc.) / 0%
Unknown / 0%
Total / 100 %
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David S. D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School
David S. D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School was formed in 1993 as a liberal arts, college-preparatory secondary school. The school is located in the southwest corner of the Denver, Colorado metropolitan area. D’Evelyn is a school of Choice within the Jefferson County Public Schools in Colorado, the largest school district in the state with 86,000 students and more than 12,000 employees. The D’Evelyn Program was developed to continue the alternative educational environment exemplified by the Dennison Fundamental Alternative School Program. Approximately 45% of the seventh graders that come to D’Evelyn matriculate directly from Dennison Elementary School’s 6th grade. The other 55% of in-coming 7th graders are selected from throughout the district through a lottery process. Parents of prospective students are required to attend one of three informational meetings held in October, November, and January of each school year. Parents fill out an application which is entered into the school’s computer system, and following the January meeting, a random lottery selection is made to complete the 7th grade roster for the up-coming school year.
D’Evelyn’s Program is based on the belief that all students, not just an elite group, should be held to rigorous academic and behavioral standards, and that all students can achieve in a challenging learning environment. D’Evelyn’s founders believed the purpose of education is to convey an essential body of cultural knowledge to the next generation, and that a solid liberal arts education is required in order for all citizens to be effective participants in their communities. Independent, analytical reasoning, based on objective knowledge, is an essential skill and is strongly encouraged throughout the instructional program. There is an emphasis upon year-to-year, sequential continuity in the development of basic knowledge and competence, with gradually increasing complexity and requirements. A mastery of skills and knowledge acquired through the study of basic academic subjects is the foundation of all subsequent learning, regardless of the student’s future pursuits.
Although the academic disciplines are distinct, they are also related and reinforce each other. A sound, content-rich curriculum should consist of a healthy balance of required, basic subjects, augmented by equally challenging electives. Students are evaluated using an objective grading system (letter grades A through F). Each graduate of the school will have successfully completed at least the following areas of study: 4 years of English; 4 years of Social Studies; 3 years of Mathematics; 3 years of Science; 3 years of Foreign Language, and 1 course in Fine Arts. Students must demonstrate the ability to use a computer for word processing, database, and spreadsheet formats. Students must also participate in physical education and choose electives to complete the 22 credits required for graduation within the Jefferson County District. Students desiring a more challenging level of studies are able to select honors and Advanced Placement courses to replace required courses in grades 10-12.
The following operating principles are critical to the successful implementation of D’Evelyn’s overall philosophy: 1) Good discipline and order will be maintained to ensure an atmosphere conducive to effective teaching and learning; 2) Courtesy and respect for high moral and ethical standards will be required, and patriotism will be emphasized; 3) Class sessions will meet daily for a consistent period of time [six 50-minute periods each day with a 40-minute activity period at the end of each day] on a regular schedule; 4) Students remain on campus during the entire school day; 5) At specified intervals [every six weeks] each student will receive letter grades based on individual performance in each course of study; 6) Teachers have the responsibility to assign homework which is purposeful and relevant; 7) Assigned textbooks will be mandatory for each student in each course. Other resources will be made available, and the use of primary sources will be encouraged; 8) Parental involvement will be strongly encouraged; and 9) Students in need of special assistance will have tutoring available to them as well as accommodations for their individual learning.
Finally, the goal of the D’Evelyn Program is to provide students with a sound liberal arts education providing a continuous challenge to all students, with specialized support as needed. With an expanded level of knowledge and mastery of skills, students can enter college/university life with confidence.
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1. Describe in one page the meaning of the school’s assessment results in reading (language arts or English) and mathematics in such a way that someone not intimately familiar with the tests can easily understand them.
Every junior at D’Evelyn, as well as all juniors from across the state of Colorado take the Colorado ACT Test in the spring of the school year. Once this assessment has been taken, the exam yields scores for students in the areas of English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science Reasoning, as well as a Composite Score for all four parts of the test. Colleges and universities across the United States use the ACT examination results as one of several criteria for the admission of students into its academic programs. Class rank, individual course grades, cumulative grade point average, the rigor of the courses taken by students, as well as other factors constitute each place of education’s formal criteria for admission.
The ACT has been designed to serve as a predictor of success for college students. Student scores for each part of the test and the composite score can range from zero to 36, and 36 would be a perfect score. The composite score is a near average of the four separate parts of the exam. As we look at these scores, both individually and as a collective group, the higher the composite score, the higher the probability that the student will be successful in her/his college studies.
The table below shows D’Evelyn’s group scores for all juniors in each of three separate years as compared to the group scores for all juniors during those same years in the state of Colorado.
Colorado ACT Scores 2001-2003
YearEnglishMathematicsReadingScience ReasoningComposite
(D’Evelyn)
200125.626.427.024.726.1
200224.125.024.824.124.7
200324.126.826.025.025.6
(Colorado)
200118.719.419.919.719.6
200218.018.618.919.318.8
200218.719.620.019.919.7
As you can see from the data presented, D’Evelyn student scores consistently rank well above the scores for all juniors in Colorado. In Reading, for example the differences in the scores are: 2001 + 7.1; 2002 + 5.9; and 2003 + 6.0. The differences in Mathematics scores for the same year are: 2001 + 7.0; 2002 + 6.4; and 2003 + 7.2. The same general scenario also exists for the Composite Scores for the exam, with differences of: 2001 + 6.5; 2002 + 5.9; and 2003 + 5.9.
In an informal analysis of the data, we can safely generalize that as a group, D’Evelyn juniors consistently perform at higher levels than the total group of all Colorado Juniors on the ACT Test in both Reading and Mathematics. We can also make the same generalization for the Composite Scores for both groups. It must be noted that we are talking about comparisons with two groups of scores for the test. Individual student scores must be analyzed separately against both the full range of possible student scores in the high school and across the state.
As a liberal arts, college preparatory school, we strive to fully prepare our students for academic success in a college or university setting. We are also accredited by the North Central Association as a college preparatory school—the only public school in Colorado with such an accreditation. It stands to reason, then, that our students’ test scores must and do reflect our overall philosophy and mission.
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2. Show in one-half page how the school uses assessment data to understand and improve student performance.
It is not enough to just collect individual and collective data from student assessments. Educators must use this data to inform instruction and to improve the quality of the learning and instruction that we provide for our students. The Jefferson County School District has made available a program entitled VirtualEd for all buildings. Every certificated person at D’Evelyn has been trained in the use of VirtualEd, and we can identify information on individual student scores for each exam (CSAP). Item analyses have also been made for each content standard contained in these criterion-referenced exams so that we can pinpoint each element of every test given and how well or how poorly students have performed. Items on the various tests can then be matched to the standards as they are being taught in the classroom to determine the emphasis that must be placed upon this material.
Additional time is used to provide remediation for those students who need the interventions necessary to help them to improve their overall performance. Teachers can also use the data to make curricular connections with separate groups of students when it has been determined that emphasis must be placed on daily learning for an entire group or grade level of students. It must be emphasized that we are not teaching test preparation. Instead, we determine what should be done within the scope and sequence of our existing curriculum to more fully prepare students to use that instruction in all aspects of their learning, including taking the state and standardized examinations. The excellent results that D’Evelyn has experienced show us that the curriculum and philosophy of the school are heading us in the right direction. We cannot and will not rest on our laurels. We will continually find ways in which to sustain these good efforts to provide the very best for the students under our direct care.
We have recently created student study groups consisting of students who have earned grades of D or F in their classes and whose performance on the state examinations is either partially proficient or unsatisfactory. These students are brought together during the school’s 40-minute Activity Period for concentrated work with teams of teachers in the core academic areas. Study teams meet two to three times during each week.
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3. Describe in one-half page how the school communicates student performance, including assessment data, to parents, students, and the community.
The communication of student performance takes several different avenues at D’Evelyn. Daily assessments of various kinds are recorded in teachers’ gradebooks and electronically in the student administration and data program (SASI) used by the district and school. Each six weeks this data is drawn from the teacher’s electronic gradebooks, tabulated, and generated as a progress report during the 6th and 12th week. At the end of each semester the same process yields the students’ final grades, which are printed on each student’s transcript. With each grading period, the information is mailed home to parents. Parent/Teacher conferences are held directly after the 6th and 12th-week progress reports have been sent home. Both report cards and up-dated transcripts are mailed to each family following final exams at the end of each semester. Student grades and cumulative grade point averages are given to each individual teacher for the classes that he/she teaches. We also calculate all course grades for each department. Course grades and department totals, along with a cumulative grade point average for the entire school is made available to all faculty and staff and the school’s steering committee.